Method and system for coupling mobile interactive content to a club reward system

ABSTRACT

The method and system for coupling mobile interactive content to a club reward program is disclosed herein. A business utilizes the present inventions as part of a marketing campaign that is targeted to a customer&#39;s mobile communication device. The invention delivers an enticing interactive game to their customer&#39;s mobile communication device, rewarding the customer for successfully completing the game with prizes, recording the game player and game details, and auditing the information to ensure the integrity of the game play outcome, and automatically logging those prizes into the business&#39; club reward system.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The Present Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/405,699, filed on Oct. 22, 2010, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to mobile communicationinteractions with reward clubs. More specifically, the present inventionrelates to a method and system for interacting with a member of anenterprise's rewards club through mobile communication devices.

2. Description of the Related Art

The use of mobile phones, handsets and other wireless devices isbecoming a primary means for individuals to stay connected in theirpersonal and professional lives. Mobile handsets and other wirelessdevices are being targeted by businesses to aid in the marketing effortsof the business to deliver specific content directly to prospectivecustomers. One means of marketing includes the se of a “Rewards Club”program, utilized by businesses in many different industries to offertheir customers special incentives for their repeat business. Thechallenge is to keep the customer engaged and earning rewards that willmotivate them to more frequently patronize the business, as well asensuring the authenticity of earned rewards.

Methods currently in use to earn rewards include tracking activitiesperformed when the customer is visiting the business, and sendingpromotional material to the customer via mail or e-mail therebyrequiring a response from the customer. The problem with these methodsof earning rewards is that the promotion is only being presented to thecustomer when they are physically at the business location, and thepromotional material sent via mail or e-mail are often deemed “junkmail” or “spam”, and are disposed of without being acted upon by thecustomer. Also, methods currently in use to ensure the authenticity ofrewards include visual inspection of a reward receipt, often in the formof “punched” or “stamped” paper card, and requiring the customer toregister their card or Rewards Club account online at the business'website or in person at the business' physical location before thecustomer can earn and/or redeem rewards. The problem with these methodsof ensuring the authenticity of rewards is that fraud can be easilymissed upon visual inspection, and that requiring the customer toinitiate several steps before their rewards are authenticateddiscourages many customers from participating.

Roemer, U.S. Patent Publication Number 20100004045 for a Method AndSystem For Awarding Bonuses Via Telecommunication Links disclosescalling members of a casino player rewards club to award bonuses to theplayer.

Schwartz, U.S. Patent Publication Number 20110191152 for ASSIGNING AMOBILE-REDEEMABLE PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER TO A CONSUMER AS AMOBILE REWARD OR FOLLOWING A PURCHASE OF A PROMOTIONAL ITEM discloses amethod to promote the sale of branded products through in-storeacquisition of branded products or out-of store promotions designed toenhance retention of mobile rewards including one or more the followingrewards: mobile sweepstake ballots, mobile loyalty points, and mobilecoupons.

General definitions for terms utilized in the pertinent art are setforth below.

GSM, Global System for Mobile Communications is a second generationdigital cellular network.

Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”) is a spread spectrumcommunication system used in second generation and third generationcellular networks, and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307.

Long Term Evolution (“LTE”) is a next generation communication network.

Interactive voice response (“IVR”) is a telephone technology in which auser uses a phone to interact with a database to acquire information.

Short Message Service (“SMS”) is text messaging communication using amobile phone or other device to send messages up to 160 characters inlength.

Multimedia messaging service (“MMS”) communication is a communicationtransmitted to and from a mobile phone that includes a multimediacontent such as a digital photograph (JPEG), videos, and the like.

A SMS Gateway is used to send text messages with or without a mobilephone, and is used by aggregators to forward text messages to mobilephones.

BLUETOOTH technology is a standard short range radio link that operatesin the unlicensed 2.4 gigaHertz band.

Mobile Originated (“MO”) is a text message that is sent from a mobilephone.

Mobile Terminated (“MT”) is a text message that is sent to a mobilephone.

Public Switch Telephone Network (“PSTN”) is a telecommunication systemin which networks are inter-connected to allow telephones to communicatewith each other throughout the world.

Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) of 1991 restricts the use ofSMS text messages received by mobile phones, and SMS messages sentwithout a consumer's consent can violate the TCPA.

APP is a software application for a mobile phone such as a smart phone.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”) is a set of conventions forcontrolling the transfer of information via the Internet from a webserver computer to a client computer, and also from a client computer toa web server.

Internet is the worldwide, decentralized totality of server computersand data-transmission paths which can supply information to a connectedand browser-equipped client computer, and can receive and forwardinformation entered from the client computer.

FTP or File Transfer Protocol is a protocol for moving files over theInternet from one computer to another.

Short message peer-to-peer (“SMPP”) is a telecommunications protocol forexchanging SMS messages between SMS peer entities.

Simple object access protocol (“SOAP”) is a computer network protocolfor exchanging information.

Simple mail transfer protocol (“SMTP”) is a delivery protocol for email.

Transfer Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (“TCP/IP”) is a protocol formoving files over the Internet.

A SMS aggregator is an entity that provides connectivity with a mobilephone carrier by offering a SMS gateway to send and receive messages andother digital content.

Application Programming Interface (API) is a collection of computersoftware code, usually a set of class definitions, that can perform aset of related complex tasks, but has a limited set of controls that maybe manipulated by other software-code entities. The set of controls isdeliberately limited for the sake of clarity and ease of use, so thatprogrammers do not have to work with the detail contained within thegiven API itself.

Direct Inward Dialing (“DID”) involves a carrier providing one or moretrunk lines to a customer for connection to the customer's privatebranch exchange (“PBX”) and a range of telephone lines are allocated tothis line.

Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) relates to communicationstransmitted over the Internet such as SKYPE.

URL or Uniform Resource Locator is an address on the World Wide Web.

User Interface or UI is the junction between a user and a computerprogram. An interface is a set of commands or menus through which a usercommunicates with a program. A command driven interface is one in whichthe user enter commands. A menu-driven interface is one in which theuser selects command choices from various menus displayed on the screen.

Web-Browser is a complex software program, resident in a clientcomputer, that is capable of loading and displaying text and images andexhibiting behaviors as encoded in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) fromthe Internet, and also from the client computer's memory. Major browsersinclude MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER, NETSCAPE, APPLE SAFARI, MOZILLAFIREFOX, and OPERA.

Web-Server is a computer able to simultaneously manage many Internetinformation-exchange processes at the same time. Normally, servercomputers are more powerful than client computers, and areadministratively and/or geographically centralized. An interactive-forminformation-collection process generally is controlled from a servercomputer, to which the sponsor of the process has access.

CRM is a widely-implemented strategy for managing a company'sinteractions with customers, clients and sales prospects. CRM involvesusing technology to organize, automate, and synchronize businessprocesses and the like—principally sales activities, but also businessprocesses and the like for marketing, customer service and technicalsupport.

Wireless Application Protocol (“WAP”) is an open, global specificationthat empowers users with mobile wireless communication devices (such asmobile phones) to easily access data and to interact with Websites overthe Internet through such mobile wireless communication device. WAPworks with most wireless communication networks such as CDPD, CDMA, GSM,PDC, PHS, TDMA, FLEX, reflex, iDEN, TETRA, DECT, DataTAC, Mobitex andGRPS. WAP can be built on most operating systems including PalmOS,WINDOWS, CE, FLEXOS, OS/9, JavaOS and others.

WAP Push is defined as an encoded WAP content message delivered (pushed)to a mobile communication device which includes a link to a WAP address.

There is a need for an enterprise to interact with a member of theenterprise's rewards club through the member's mobile communicationdevice in order to reward the member in an entertaining manner.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention enables an enterprise or business to send to theircustomer's data capable communication device an enticing interactivegame that is related to the products and services the enterprise ispromoting. The customer is rewarded with prizes for successfullycompleting the game, and the prizes are automatically logged into theenterprise's club reward system for the customer. The system thatgenerates the mobile game play for prizes is designed to preventtampering and fraud. The system links and records each individual gameplayer (customer or end user), each game and each associated step of agame for post game play auditing by the system. The process of recordingand auditing helps ensure outcome integrity of the game. The method andsystem of the present invention keeps the customer receptive to themarketing efforts of the enterprise by delivering to the customer's datacapable communication device an interactive game played for prizes whichautomatically records the prizes to the enterprise's club reward system.The method and system also guards against fraud to the enterprise sincethe game player and game details are recorded and audited for each game.

In operation, the method and system for coupling mobile interactivecontent to a club reward program is software that a business utilizes aspart of a marketing campaign that is targeted to the customer's mobilecommunication device. The business integrates this software with otherexisting software to enable delivery of an enticing interactive game totheir customer's mobile communication device, rewarding the customer forsuccessfully completing the game with prizes, recording the game playerand game details, and auditing the information to ensure the integrityof the game play outcome, and automatically logging those prizes intothe business' club reward system.

The system is preferably comprised of a mobile communication devicecapable of running mobile software applications. A mobile applicationresident on the mobile communication device that supports interactiveexecutable content, collects user input, and queues the content up foropportunistic delivery to the fixed network. A piece of interactivecontent that requires the user to perform some action in order to gainaccess to a reward. A server in the fixed network that is connected tothe club reward system by a reliable data network. The server acceptsthe stream of past user input from the mobile software application,decodes the stream into a set of outcomes, maps the outcomes to rewards,ensures transaction integrity, and uploads the rewards to the clubreward system.

The present invention provides a superior means for a business to engagetheir customers in a marketing promotion via the customer's mobilecommunication device, providing the customer a means of earning rewards,written in such a way that it is not susceptible to tampering, recordingthe game player and game details, and auditing the information to ensurethe integrity of the game play outcome, and automatically logging earnedprizes into the business club reward system.

One aspect of the present invention is a method for coupling mobileinteractive content to a club reward system. The method includesrequesting a game from a mobile software application on a data capablecommunication device. The method also includes assigning a game ID tothe game and a plurality of step IDs to each of the steps of the game.The method also includes generating a decision path for the game anddelivering the decision path to a decision path database. The methodalso includes playing the game. The method also includes recording thesteps of the game as completed at a mobile resident path database. Themethod also includes completing the game and delivering a final outcometo a decision path database. The method also includes auditing the gameplayer, the game, and the decision path for validity of the game play.The method also includes recording a prize associated with successfullycompleting the game at a club rewards prize database.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for coupling mobileinteractive content to a club reward system. The method includesrequesting a game from a mobile software application on a data capablecommunication device. The method also includes assigning a game ID tothe game and a plurality of step IDs to each of the steps of the game.The method also includes generating a decision path for the game anddelivering the decision path to a decision path database. The methodalso includes requesting additional content for the game through acommunications director client wherein a storage manager attaches gameinformation and a content decision path to the content request. Themethod also includes transmitting the content from the content server tothe communications director client. The method also includestransmitting the content decision path to the decision path database.The method also includes transmitting the content decision path to thestorage manager. The method also includes transmitting the content fromcommunications director client to the game engine. The method alsoincludes playing the game. The method also includes recording the stepsof the game as completed at a mobile resident path database. The methodalso includes completing the game and delivering a final outcome to adecision path database. The method also includes auditing the gameplayer, the game, and the decision path for validity of the game play.The method also includes recording a prize associated with successfullycompleting the game at a club rewards prize database.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a method for couplingmobile interactive content to a club reward system. The method includesrequesting a game from a mobile software application on a data capablecommunication device. The method also includes assigning a game ID tothe game and a plurality of step IDs to each of the steps of the game.The method also includes generating a decision path for the game anddelivering the decision path to a decision path database. The methodalso includes playing the game. The method also includes recording thesteps of the game as completed at a mobile resident path database. Themethod also includes completing the game and delivering a final outcometo a decision path database. The method also includes auditing the gameplayer, the game, and the decision path for validity of the game play bydetermining the identity of the game player, determining theidentification of the game and matching the game ID to the game, andanalyzing the decision path of the game by confirming the step IDs forthe game. The method also includes recording a prize associated withsuccessfully completing the game at a club rewards prize database.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a system for couplingmobile interactive content to a club reward system. The system includesa data capable communication device, a network, a communicationsdirector server, a game logic compiler, a content server comprisingcontent for a plurality of games, a decision path database, an auditengine, and a club prize reward database. The data capable communicationdevice comprises a mobile resident software application comprising acommunications director client, a game engine, and a mobile residentstorage manager. The mobile resident software application is configuredto provide a plurality of games. The game logic compiler is configuredto assign a game ID to a game of the plurality of games selected to beplayed and a assign plurality of step IDs to each of the steps of theselected game. The game logic compiler is also configured to generate adecision path for the game and deliver the decision path to the decisionpath database. The audit engine is configured to audit the game player,the game, and the decision path for validity of the game play, andconfigured to record a prize associated with successfully completing thegame at a club rewards prize database.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a method for couplingmobile interactive content to a club reward system. The method includesrequesting a game from a mobile software application on a data capablecommunication device. The method also includes assigning a game ID tothe game and a plurality of step IDs to each of the steps of the game.The method also includes generating a decision path for the game anddelivering the decision path to a decision path database. The methodalso includes playing the game. The method also includes recording thesteps of the game as completed at a mobile resident path database. Themethod also includes completing the game and delivering a final outcometo a decision path database. The method also includes recording a prizeassociated with successfully completing the game at a club rewards prizedatabase.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a method for couplingmobile interactive content to a club reward system. The method includesrequesting an interactive content from a mobile software application ona data capable communication device. The method also includes assigningan identification to the interactive content and a step identificationto each of the steps of the interactive content. The method alsoincludes generating a decision path for the interactive content anddelivering the decision path to a decision path database. The methodalso includes recording the steps of the interactive content ascompleted at a mobile resident path database. The method also includescompleting the interactive content and delivering a final outcome to adecision path database. The method also includes recording a prizeassociated with successfully completing the interactive content at aclub rewards prize database.

Having briefly described the present invention, the above and furtherobjects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by thoseskilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description ofthe invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an invention for coupling mobileinteractive content to a club reward system.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for the method of assigning identifications toeach of the steps of an exemplary game utilized in the invention forcoupling mobile interactive content to a club reward system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a game logic compiler utilized with aninvention for coupling mobile interactive content to a club rewardsystem.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a game information database utilized withan invention for coupling mobile interactive content to a club rewardsystem.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a mobile resident decision path databaseutilized with an invention for coupling mobile interactive content to aclub reward system.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a system for coupling mobile interactivecontent to a club reward system.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of an end-user playing a game on a datacapable communication device as part of a club reward system.

FIG. 8 is an isolated view of the screen of a data capable communicationdevice of FIG. 7 illustrating a blackjack game being played by the enduser.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of a preferred method for coupling mobileinteractive content to a club reward system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A system for coupling mobile interactive content to a club reward systemof an enterprise is generally designated 100. The system 100 ispreferably comprised of a data capable communication device 1, anetwork, a communications director server 6, a game logic compiler 8, acontent server 32, a decision path database 33, an audit engine 34 and aprize reward database 36. The data capable communication device 1preferably comprises a mobile resident software application 3, which iswritten in a programming language that runs on an operating system ofthe data capable communication device 1. Those skilled in the pertinentart will recognize that the programming language can be written to runon any operating system of a mobile communication device.

The enterprise can be any type of organization that desires to conduct amobile marketing campaign or similar mobile marketing to end users. Theenterprise can be a business like Exxon, Apple, Nordstrom or the like.The enterprise can be a non-profit or charity, like the American RedCross. The enterprise can be a government agency like FEMA. Theenterprise can be a political party. The enterprise can be anorganization like the American Medical Association. Those skilled in thepertinent art will recognize other types of enterprises that can use thepresent invention.

The data capable communication device 1 utilized with the presentinvention can include mobile phones, smartphones, tablet computers, PDAsand the like. Examples of smartphones include the IPHONE® smartphonefrom Apple, Inc., BLACKBERRY® smartphones from Research In Motion, theDROID® smartphone from Motorola Mobility Inc., and many more. Examplesof tablet computing devices include the IPAD® tablet from Apple Inc.,and the XOOM™ tablet from Motorola Mobility Inc.

Each of the interface descriptions preferably discloses use of at leastone communication protocol to establish handshaking or bi-directionalcommunications. These protocols preferably include but are not limitedto XML, HTTP, TCP/IP, Serial, UDP, FTP, Web Services, WAP, SMTP, SMPP,DTS, Stored Procedures, Import/Export, Global Positioning Triangulation,IM, SMS, MMS, GPRS and Flash. The databases used with the systempreferably include but are not limited to MSSQL, Access, MySQL,Progress, Oracle, DB2, Open Source DBs and others. Operating system usedwith the system preferably include Microsoft 2010, XP, Vista, 200oServer, 2003 Server, 2008 Server, Windows Mobile, Linux, Android, Unix,I series, AS 400 and Apple OS.

The underlying protocol at a server such as the communication directorserver 6, is preferably Internet Protocol Suite (Transfer ControlProtocol/Internet Protocol (“TCP/IP”)), and the transmission protocol toreceive a file is preferably a file transfer protocol (“FTP”), HypertextTransfer Protocol (“HTTP”) or other similar protocols. The transmissionprotocol ranges from SIP to MGCP to FTP and beyond. The protocol at thecommunications director server 6 is preferably HTTP.

Mobile communication service provider (aka phone carrier) of the enduser such as VERIZON, AT&T, SPRINT, T-MOBILE, and the like mobilecommunication service providers, provide the communication network forcommunication to the data capable communication device 1.

The primary components of the mobile resident software application arepreferably a communications director client 5, a game engine 9, and amobile resident storage manager 21.

Referring specifically to FIG. 1, the data capable communication device1 displays an icon 2 which is pressed to commence the mobile residentsoftware application 3. This action prompts the mobile resident softwareapplication 3 to fetch a game logic 4. The request for the game logic 24is sent through the communications director client 5, wherein thestorage manager 21 attaches a related decision path 28 to the game logicrequest 24.

The request is sent from the communication director client 5 over anetwork to the communications director server 6 located at a game site101. The communications director server 6 processes the fetch request 7by determining if the fetch request 7 is for game logic or content, andcommunications director server 6 retrieves the game logic or contentfrom either the game logic compiler 8 or the content server 32. Forexample, if the fetch request 7 is for game logic, the fetch request 7is delivered to the game logic compiler 8. The communications directorserver 6, game logic compiler 8, the content server 32 and the decisionpath database 33 preferably all reside at the game site 101.

Within the game logic compiler 8, the game is assigned a unique gameidentification, and the steps within the game are also assigned a uniquegame identification, which are attached to the game logic 25. The gamelogic 25 is delivered from the game logic compiler 8 to thecommunications director server 6. Concurrently, the communicationsdirector server 6 delivers the decision path 28 for the game to thedecision path database 33. Also, any residual decision path 29 which wasnot accepted by the decision path database 33 is preferably returned tothe communications director server 6 for delivery to the mobile residentdecision path 23 so that the residual decision path may be attached tothe next fetch request. The game logic 25, which now includes the gameID 38 and step IDs 39, is delivered with the residual decision path 29over the network to the communications director client 5. In thismanner, the entire game, with all of the possible outcomes, is deliveredin one transmission to the data capable communications device 1 in orderto avoid delays in the game play by the end user.

At the communications director client 5, on the data capablecommunications device 1, the decision path 29 is delivered to thestorage manager 21, and the game logic 25, including the game ID 38 andthe step IDs 39, is delivered to the game engine 9. As mentioned above,the entire game with the outcome is delivered in essentially a singletransmission as opposed to an end-user playing the game and waiting fortransmissions for the completed step to be sent to a server andretrieval of the next step from the server.

The game engine 9 receives the game logic 25. In order for the gameengine 9 to determine if a game already exists on the data capablecommunication device 1, the game engine 9 preferably compares the gameID 10 received from the game logic compiler 8 to any existing game ID ina game information database 22. The game information database 22preferably contains existing game ID 38 and maintains record of thecurrent step of game play. A request for and retrieval of existing gameID 38 and the current step of any such game play 18 is made by the gameengine 9. The game engine 9 then makes a decision if the game play is anexisting session 11. If game ID 38 was not located in the gameinformation database 22, then the game is initiated 15 and the end userplays the game 16. Upon completing the game, game engine 9 commences anew game 12, setting the current step of game play at start 14.

Alternatively, if a game ID was found in the game information database22, and thus there is an existing game, at block 13 the game engine 9retrieves the current step 19 of game play from the game informationdatabase 22 and the process of the current step 19 of the game playbeing requested and received takes place at block 13. The game isinitiated at block 15, and the end user plays the game 16. Uponcompleting the game, the final outcome is shown 17.

As the game engine 9 runs through the steps of game play, blocks 10-17on FIG. 1, the steps are recorded to the mobile resident decision pathdatabase 23 on the data capable communication device 1, where the stepsare grouped together to form a decision path 54 for the completed game.When a data request is sent from the game engine 9 to the communicationsdata server 6, the game ID and decision path 54 are attached to the datarequest. As discussed, below, the decision path 54 prevents fraud on theenterprise.

When the game engine 9 encounters a need for content to continue, acontent request is made from the game engine 9. The content request issent through the communications director client 5, where the storagemanager 21 attaches any related game information and decision path 30 tothe content request 26. With the game information and decision path 30attached to the content request, the communications director client 5sends the request over the network to the communications director server6. The communications director server 6 processes the fetch request 7 bydetermining if the request is for game logic or content and retrievingfrom the appropriate source. For a content request, the content request26 is delivered to the content server 32. The content server 32 deliversthe content 27 to the communications director server 6. Concurrently,the communications director server 6 delivers the decision path 30 tothe decision path database 33. Any residual decision path 31 that wasnot accepted by the decision path database 33 is returned to thecommunications director server 6 for delivery to the mobile residentdecision path database 23 so that the residual decision path may beattached to the next fetch request. The content 27 is delivered with theresidual decision path 31 from the communications director server 6 overthe network to the communications director client 5 on the data capablecommunication device 1. At the communication director client 5, thedecision path is delivered to the storage manager 21, and the content isdelivered to the game engine 9.

Upon completion of the game, when the decision path database 33 receivesand accepts the final outcome for the game, the audit engine 34 isinitiated for validation of the game. The audit engine 34 verifies thatthe game player, game and decision path are valid, and if they arevalid, the audit engine records the associated prize to the prize rewarddatabase 36. The program then ends 37. The audit engine 34 preferablyresides at the game site 101, while the prize reward database preferablyresides at an enterprise site.

FIG. 2 details a preferred embodiment of assigning the step IDs 39 for agame, illustrating how each step is assigned a number to be used informing the decision path 54, as seen in FIG. 5. In this preferredexample, the game played is blackjack, but those skilled in thepertinent art will recognize that other games may be and offered andplayed without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. The start of game 41 is assigned step 1. The command to “DealCards” 42 is assigned step 2. The prompt for a decision “Another Card?”43 is assigned step 3. If yes, the action “Hit (Accept another card)” 44is assigned step 4. If no, the action “Stand (Deny another card)” 45 isassigned step 5. The command “Deal Player's Hit Card” 46 is assignedstep 6. The command “Deal Dealer's Hit Card(s)” 47 is assigned step 7.The prompt for a decision “Is Player's Card Count Less Than 21 andGreater Than Dealer's Card Count?” 48 is assigned step 10. The command“Display Prize Awarded” 51 is assigned step 11. The command “DisplaySorry Message 52 is assigned step 12. The End of Game is assigned step13. Thus, the entire game play is assigned steps and delivered with thegame to avoid back and forth transmissions while providing a mechanismto avoid fraud on the enterprise.

FIG. 3 details a preferred embodiment of the game logic compiler 8,illustrating that the game logic compiler 8 preferably comprises thegame logic 25, generates the game ID 38, and generates the step IDs 39.The game ID 38 is preferably comprised of unique identifying datapreferably equaling 32 bytes, in this example a randomly chosencombination of three letters, the user name, the game template, and thetime assigned, all strung together in the following manner: XYZ(USER,GAME TEMPLATE, TIME ASSIGNED). However, those skilled in the pertinentart will recognize that any identifying data may be used withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

FIG. 4 details a preferred embodiment of the game information database22, illustrating that the game information database contains theexisting game ID 38 and the current step of game play 40.

FIG. 5 details a preferred embodiment of the mobile resident decisionpath database 23 illustrating that the mobile resident decision pathdatabase 23 contains the decision path 54. As each step of game play isrecorded 20 to the mobile resident decision path database 23 (as shownin FIG. 1), the chosen step IDs 39 are attached to the game ID 38, andthese steps are grouped together to form the decision path 54. Thedecision path 54 is later audited by the audit engine on the fixednetwork to ensure the integrity of the outcome of the game.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of a block diagram of an overall system 100for coupling mobile interactive content to a club reward system. The enduser 103 uses his or her data capable communication device 1 to requesta game. The game site 101 receives the request over the network and, asdiscussed above, provides the game for the end user 103 to play. Thegame site 101 interacts with enterprise site 102 over the network 105,preferably through a patron server 115 which interacts with the prizereward database 36 and an enterprise computer 120.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the end user plays the game on the datacapable communication device 1, with the game shown on the displayscreen 700 of the data capable communication device 1. The presentinvention allows the end user to play the game without delay since theentire game with the decision path for validation purposes, istransmitted to the data capable communication device 1 over the network.

A flow chart of a preferred method for coupling mobile interactivecontent to a club reward system is shown in FIG. 9. The method 900begins at block 901 with requesting a game from a mobile softwareapplication on a data capable communication device. At block 902, a gameID is assigned to the game and a plurality of step IDs are assigned toeach of the steps of the game. At block 903, a decision path for thegame is generated. At block 904, the decision path is delivered to adecision path database. At block 905, the game is played by an end useron a data capable communication device. At block 906, the steps of thegame as completed are recorded at a mobile resident path database. Atblock 907, the game is completed by the end user. At block 908, a finaloutcome is delivered to a decision path database. At block 909, the gameplayer, the game, and the decision path are audited for validity of thegame play. At block 910, a prize associated with successfully completinggame is automatically recorded at a club rewards prize database.

From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinentart will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention andwill readily understand that while the present invention has beendescribed in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and otherembodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changesmodification and substitutions of equivalents may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which isintended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in thefollowing appended claim. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention inwhich an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in thefollowing appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A method for coupling mobile interactive content to a clubreward system, the method comprising: commencing a game on a mobilesoftware application resident on a data capable communication device;requesting a game logic for the game from the mobile softwareapplication to a communications director server over a network;transmitting the request for game logic to a game logic compiler;assigning a game ID to the game logic and a plurality of step IDs toeach of the steps of the game at the game logic compiler; transmittingthe game logic with the game ID and the steps of the game with pluralityof step IDs to the communications director server; generating a decisionpath for the game and delivering the decision path from thecommunications director server to a decision path database; transmittingthe game logic with the game ID and the steps of the game with pluralityof step IDs from the communications director server over a network tothe mobile software application resident on the data capablecommunication device; playing the game on the mobile softwareapplication on the data capable communication device; recording thesteps of the game as completed at a mobile resident path database on thedata capable communication device; completing the game on the mobilesoftware application on the data capable communication device anddelivering a final outcome over a network to a decision path database;and recording a prize associated with successfully completing game at aclub rewards prize database; wherein the data capable communicationdevice is a mobile phone or a tablet computer.
 2. The method accordingto claim 1 further comprising: requesting additional content for thegame through a communications director client on the mobile softwareapplication on the data capable communication device wherein a storagemanager attaches game information and a content decision path to thecontent request; transmitting the content from the content server to thecommunications director client; transmitting the content decision pathto the decision path database; transmitting the content decision path tothe storage manager; and transmitting the content from communicationsdirector client to the game engine.
 3. The method according to claim 1further comprising auditing at an audit engine at a game site the gameplayer, the game, and the decision path for validity of the game play.4. The method according to claim 3 wherein auditing the game player, thegame, and the decision path for validity of the game play comprises:determining the identity of the game player; determining theidentification of the game and matching the game ID to the game; andanalyzing the decision path of the game by confirming the step IDs forthe game.
 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein assigning theplurality of step IDs for the steps of the game logic is utilized togenerate the decision path.
 6. A method for coupling mobile interactivecontent to a club reward system, the method comprising: requesting aninteractive content from a mobile software application resident on adata capable communication device; requesting a game logic for theinteractive content from the mobile software application to acommunications director server over a network; transmitting the requestfor game logic to a game logic compiler; assigning an identification tothe interactive content and assigning step identification to each of aplurality of steps of the interactive content at the game logiccompiler; generating a decision path for the interactive content anddelivering the decision path from the communications director server toa decision path database; transmitting the game logic with the game IDand the steps of the interactive econtent with plurality of step IDsfrom the communications director server over a network to the mobilesoftware application resident on the data capable communication device;interacting with the interactive content on the mobile softwareapplication on the data capable communication device; recording thesteps of the interactive content as completed at a mobile resident pathdatabase on the data capable communication device; completing theinteractive content and delivering a final outcome to a decision pathdatabase; and recording a prize associated with successfully completingthe interactive content at a club rewards prize database; wherein thedata capable communication device is a mobile phone or a tabletcomputer.
 7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising auditingat an audit engine at a game site the player, the interactive content,and the decision path for validity of the interaction of the interactivecontent.
 8. The method according to claim 7 wherein auditing the player,the interactive content, and the decision path for validity of theinteraction of the interactive content comprises: determining theidentity of the player; determining the identification of theinteractive content and matching the identification of the interactivecontent to the interactive content; and analyzing the decision path ofthe interactive content by confirming the step IDs for the interactivecontent.
 9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the interactivecontent is an interactive game.